Press
LONDON, UK – 23 February, 2026
Engine by Starling, the Starling Group’s banking Software-as-a-Service business, today announced a partnership with SBS Bank, a New Zealand-owned mutual, in its fourth international deal.
SBS Bank has grown from building society roots to become an established financial institution in New Zealand, known for championing first-home ownership and its long-standing commitment to investing in local communities. It will now upgrade its core banking system to Engine’s secure cloud-native banking platform so members can experience best in class digital onboarding, advanced fraud protection, and everyday banking features such as card controls and spending insights; all delivered through an intuitive mobile app that’s consistently rated as the UK’s best banking experience.
Behind the scenes, Engine’s platform will provide a simplified, consolidated view of accounts and modern support tools, strengthening resilience and the scalability of core systems to set SBS Bank up for long term growth.
Mark McLean, Group Chief Executive, SBS Bank, said: “Engine was developed by the UK’s leading digital bank, Starling, and will bring world‑class capability to our members, and New Zealand. By partnering with Engine, we’ll combine the best of what SBS Bank offers today with globally acclaimed banking expertise, to create a more modern and secure experience for our members and enable our people to continue to deliver the outstanding service they provide today.”
SBS Bank is Engine’s first mutual client and launch partner in New Zealand, after the UK-headquartered firm launched a new digital bank for AMP in neighbouring Australia, AMP Bank GO. The transformation programme for SBS Bank will be implemented with Deloitte, which brings proven delivery expertise.
Sam Everington, CEO of Engine by Starling, added: “Welcoming SBS Bank as our first mutual client is a powerful proof point for Engine’s adaptability across customer bases and product profiles. We have a tried and tested blueprint for ambitious customer-centric banks looking to deliver brilliant digital experiences. Engine is a proven platform that works for large scale bank transformations, financial institutions unlocking new segments, new digital-first banks and community focused mutuals. This milestone demonstrates that our technology can flex, scale and evolve to meet the needs of many different banking models.”
Engine powers the daily banking of millions of customers globally, supporting banks including Starling in the UK, Salt Bank in Romania and AMP in Australia. Last year it announced its first agreement in North America, with Canada’s Tangerine Bank.
About SBS Bank
SBS Bank is a wholly New Zealand–owned mutual bank established in Invercargill in 1869 and still headquartered there. Still owned by its members, the bank provides a full suite of retail and business banking services, including home loans, savings, insurance and investment products across New Zealand through branch, digital and advisory channels. With a long heritage of helping Kiwis into homes and investing back into local communities, SBS Bank blends more than 156 years of trusted service with a commitment to sustainable, member-focused banking.
About Engine by Starling
Engine by Starling is a SaaS technology provider with the goal of bringing its modern banking platform to banks around the world. The Engine platform, built to power Starling in the UK, is modular, API-based, cloud-native and a proven technology at scale.
For further information about Engine by Starling, please visit: enginebystarling.com
About Starling Group
Starling Group includes Starling Bank, the fully licensed and regulated UK bank, Engine by Starling, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider, and Fleet Mortgages, a specialist Buy-to-Let mortgage lender. Headquartered in London, the Group has offices in Cardiff, Manchester and Southampton.
Contacts
Engine by Starling
Jessica Blakey, Marketing and Communications
Email: media@enginebystarling.com
SBS Bank
Emma Shaw, Communications Lead
Email: Emma.Shaw@sbsbank.co.nz